Alternate Story of Smallville
by orange pesky
Summary: I'm so tired of waiting for the third episode of the fourth season. I know, I'll do my own episodes... just to keep this boredom from getting the best of me. This fiction is like Smallville, each chapter has a story of it's own contributing to a bigger pi
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Smallville and its characters... Not! But I still wish. You gotta give me credit for that.... Also, if you recognize other characters, like Jackal from Getbackers, it can only mean that they are not mine. Okay?

A/N: I just introduced a potential nemesis or a potential friend here... I'm not yet sure. Jackal is Akabane, just a note. It came from Getbackers... I'm still thinking if I am going to incorporate Ban and Ginji in the story. Lara, is mine, most definitely... I think. I don't read the comics but if ever Lex' wife was a certain Lara Lane, well, it would be a mere coincidence. I just tried to come up with an LL lady character to be Lex' 'potential' wife... Please note, however, that I still have no idea what will happen with the story so I'm not going to promise the LL and LL marriage thing... Okies?

1: Knives

"Good morning, Clark." Clark grabbed all towels in sight and scrambled for cover behind the shower curtain. He peeked out and saw Lois as he saw her two days before, wearing nothing beneath his flannel shirt.

"I thought you were gone! And that's my blue shirt! Ima wear that today"

"Well, as far as a normal teenager can go, I ran away, again. Since, it's impossible to wake Chloe up in the middle of a midnight storm, I went straight here... Luckily, you've got such absolutely welcoming parents." she stratched her arms as she yawned, hiking her shirt up higher showing Clark more than he wished to see. "Oh, by the way, your parents are out and my cousin's with me..."

"Get out..." Clark demanded.

"I'm brushin!"

The door opened and a black haired girl came in sleepily. "Lois, talkin to yourself agai... OH MY GOD! NAKED MAN IN THE SHOWER! LOIS! CALL THE KENTS!" Clark peering from the shower woke her up.

He tried to explain that he's a Kent and that he lives in the house and that Lois was the intruder but before he can even open his mouth, the shampoo bottles, the toothpaste tubes and brushes were all flying at him.

The girl had been throwing stuff at him at super speed with super strength.

"Lara... stop... wait..." Lois half-heartedly stopped her cousin. Only half-hearted because she can't stop laughing.

Clark, in the struggle to block the flying objects, accidentally let go of the towel hiding his thing.

"Oh my God!" Lara turned around and blushed still trying to throw things over the shoulder.

Lois had to hold her cousin's hands down. "Relax, he's Mr. and Mrs. Kent's son."

"Oh..." the last thing she threw was a bigger towel. "I'm sorry." she squeaked then walked out of the bathroom.

"Sorry... she's a bit, well... conservative." Lois smiled throwing Clark's crotch a last look. "I really don't turn you on?"

Clark walked into the living room, hearing Lara at once saying sorry about a million times a minute. "I'm sorry. I really, really am..."

"It's alright." Clark forced down the memory of her seeing his thing, her big rounded... beautiful eyes, her blushing cheeks...

A flash of Chloe's red beetle passed through the window. Soon enough, the door opened with her tutting at Lara and Lois. "Why didn't you go to my place? Uncle Sam called early this morning and were asking if you guys already arrived. I was outta my wits."

"Why didn't he send the full American force like he did the last time?" Clark asked, confused.

"Coz I... assured him they were in good hands. As soon as I said that they are staying at your place, he kinda mellowed down."

"How did you know that they're here?" Clark asked Chloe. Did she also have a private eye? After seeing her Uncle, he knew he had to consider all possibilities.

"Uncle said that Lara told him that she's going to settle a house deal here at Smallville. When Lois disappeared, well... we... um... all just assumed that they were together. Well, I told them, if I'm not at home... they go straight at your place. It's not as if, they can go anywhere else. They don't know a lot of people here." Chloe said stuttering.

"Oh... House deal?"

"I'm going to buy a house here. It seems as if Lois and Chloe had nothing but good words for this town." Lara said trying to catch Chloe from a failing lie.

Lois and Chloe gave her a glare. "Good words?"

"Okay... They said that this town had the major wiggins... I wanna join in the fun." Lara shrugged.

"Major wiggins? Scooby Doo much?" Chloe and Lois said in unison.

--------

Lara, as it turned out, is the only daughter of a tycoon who owns a string of malls and hotels across the country. She's not exactly like Lex rich. She's more like a Paris Hilton in regular clothes.

"I know. I don't understand her either. She can afford Chanel and D&G and all that jazz but she prefers to wear... well... tank top, shorts and sneakers adding up to less than 50 bucks." Lois tutted watching Lara trying to feed Tyson, Whitney's old horse, at the palm of her hand. He didn't believe that there was a person who can handle horses gentler than Lana but the unbelievable is right before his eyes that he doesn't have any choice but to believe in it. Lara had bought Lana's old house. She said she didn't like anything fancy. Clark didn't even bring up the fact that he had spied on that house for the last 10 years of his life. "Oh well, I always told her that it's her life, her money... But if you ask me... if I had that money, you won't catch me inside a mall coz I'd be flying around... stall after stall.. mall after mall... country after country."

When Clark still did not move, Lois just shrugged. "Well, she has that effect... You won't be moving until tomorrow."

Lois saw a van pull up in front of their new house. For two days, they had to sleep on the floor because there were no couches, no beds... no fridge, no nothing. "The cavalry has arrived. Chloe, Lara and Lois bounded across the fields towards Lana's old house just as the men were unloading the packages. Clark came to help. What he saw were pretty expensive stuff, and homey. for Clark, their furnitures were basically handmade by either Jonathan Kent or Clark Kent. But from the product tags on the couches, they were handmade in paris by some well known artists.

"Lois! Come see! Sephyr brought Iris with her!!!" Clark came around the truck to see.

"Clark, come meet Sephyr and Iris." Sephyr held out his paw to Clark. "Sephyr's a firstborn golden retriever. And Iris, I picked her up from the park in Metropolis. She's one of those tie dyed chicks that sells for 10 cents. She, probably, got left behind." Clark watched Sephyr help Iris up the porch swing, an unbelievable act even for a dog. "They're like siblings. Sephyr practically was my nanny. The only thing she couldn't do was to change me and make my botttle of milk when I was a baby. But she supervised my human nannies scolding them if my milk was too warm or too cold..."

Clark and Lara shared the load of carrying a three seater couch inside the house. Lara was pretty strong for her built. Sure Clark could've carried the couch all by himself but he could not pass up the chance of having some alone time with her... away from Lois. Clark watched Lois try to scare the dog off the swing. "Are you sure Lois is your cousin?" Clark suddenly asked.

"Why? You fancy her? You've been looking at her since yesterday." He was filled with the horror he had encountered when Lana suspected Clark for liking Lois. Oh the horror!

"Me? Are you kidding? She's noisy and obnoxious and really really irritating."

"Okay... good relationships start that way." she noted with a knowing smile.

"No they don't..." he said defensively.

"Want to have a little wager? I'm not normally into gambling but I can bet that the two of you are going to fall for each other. If I lose, I'll give you a thousand bucks."

"That's easy for you coz you are rich. Be ready to lose as much."

"I'm not rich... I got only..." she pulled out her wallet and revealed the contents. "I have only 50 bucks and a picture." she laughed. "How much are you going to bet?"

"What do you call?"

"Let's see. If you as much as fall for her, you are going to build me my own fortress of solitude free of charge. Plus, you'd give me a lifetime supply of your mom's jarred peaches and pastries. I swear they're like the best."

"Add a whole month's worth of math home work and a foot massage and it's a deal." There was no way he was going to lose.

"Let's shake on it bro."

----------

"Rena, cancel the meeting at 3:00pm. I have more pressing matters to attend to."

His old man's activities behind bars had alarmed Lex. He thought, it was far more pressing than any multi billion deal in the world. His father had warned him the last time they saw each other. They were far beyond the wounding stage. His father had gone so far as to poison his own son's brandy, enough poison to kill an elephant. If his father, or even just his essence, be freed from prison, Lex, and everyone in Smallville will suffer his 'wrath'. It's would not be too much of Lionel to gas the whole town.

Lex sat in a booth were his father was waiting. Lex picked up the reciever and looked at his father. Without his long locks and with the eerie flourescent lights in the booth, Lex saw him for who he really is, not a tycoon in suit but a common criminal.

"Why dad, you are looking so great." they were both swimming in sarcasm, filled up their lungs, throat and heart.

"Why thank you Lex, I have my head cleanly shaven this morning when I heard you were coming to visit."

"Why haven't you written me dad? What can a regular highschool boy do for you that I can't possibly do?"

"Do I sense jealousy, Lex?"

"No, father, I just found it quite odd since the last time you did that, you sent a mutant boy after Chloe, 'almost' killing her. I'm just trying to look out for people most important to me. I came here to inform you that that boy will not be writting you any time soon." Lex stood up from the booth and hung up the phone. Lex saw his father mouth a few words through the glass: "What did you do Lex?"

Lex smirked. His father should know by his silence. Lionel did raise him, didn't he?

----------

Lex took a drive out towards the Kent farm, though Clark is not the object of this visit. He stopped the car before he even reached the Kent farm. He saw Lara and Clark trying to carry a couch into the house. He caught a glimpse of Lois and Chloe over at the porch. That was enough to assure him of their safety.

Lex took out his phone and dialed a number. "Mr. Lane? I just called to inform you that your daughter's fine."

"Mr. Luthor, I thank you for looking out for my daughter and her cousins. Have you heard from that boy your father hired to..."

"Yes, Mr. Lane. The matter has already been taken care of."

----------

Clark sat on the couch looking at the various artworks on display. Most of them had Lara's signature although from afar, he thought they were the works of the masters. Lana's house had a more different touch to it now that Lara was occupying it. It was obvious that she was trying to dress down everything. Her living room was of classic black and white, seen only from the catalogues like that on her magazine rack. Her father had sent interior designers to handle the house. But amidst the classic and the sophisticated sat koala and teddy bear stuff toys in different colors. Also, she placed colorful throws around the floor. It didn't look messy at all. Even though she meant the throws to look random, it still had a certain pattern.

Clark walked around the house not really waiting for something. Chloe and Lois had moved in with Lara and they caught him coming up the front door early in the morning. The two of them charged him the care of their youngest cousin who was sleeping upstairs so that they can get their morning fix. "She swore off coffee... We are barely surviving." Chloe said drowsily as she dragged a half-sleeping Lois to the newly opened Talon. "What am I to do without Lex?" Clark thought he heard Chloe say. Maybe because Lex opened the Talon again, even without Lana as his partner.

"Clark. Hey... Come to visit Lois?" she broke his thoughts.

"Uhm... no... Actually, I was 'hired' to look out for you while they get their morning fix. They're a bit protective of you, don't you think?"

"Well, it's because something happened."

"What happened?" Clark shifted in his seat when she saw how grim Lara's eyes were.

"I watched Chloe's tape before she supposedly died. I know how much she trusts you, that's why I trust you too. Clark, Lionel's trying to kill the three of us. At first, it was only Chloe. Then, Lois came in the picture when she saved Chloe. Then he discovered that I was Chloe's correspondent in Metropolis when she was trying to research about the supposed accident that took the life of Lionel's mother and father."

"Nothing good ever comes from the Luthors."

Lara looked over at Clark, sensing something more than a sympathetic grudge. "I understand you having something against Lionel but why generalize?"

"I thought Lex was my friend. He proved that he wasn't when he tried to meddle with my life. I won't be asked to expound on that am I?" he winced.

"No... But it's what Lex do. He, probably, only wanted to help."

Clark thought of the research Lex had been doing about him. His FBI files, Kryptonian codes from the caves: he already had come close, maybe closer than Clark believes. He thought that Lex had considered him as a friend. He realized later on that to Lex, Clark was only a science project, a very elaborate one to be exact.

"Clark?"

"I... never mind. Maybe you're right. I mean, I have to give the guy the benefit of a doubt, right?"

"Lex is not that bad as I think you think he is. If he didn't meddle with mine, I might be dead now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there was this guy back in Metropolis who was trying to court me. I really liked him. Then Lex tried to butt in. At first I though he was just being a jackass. Then Kirk tried to kill me. good thing Lex was there. He said that it had something to do with us putting his father in jail."

"What i have learned from dealing with Lex is that nothing comes for free."

"On the contrary, Lex would give his life for you for free."

"I just find you to be very trusting, you know that?"

"Thank you."

"Are you sure those two aren't adopted... or probably you're adopted. They're like paranoids. And they hate Lex. And you trust him... completely."

"Well, they don't know Lex as well as I do. And... well... I think that they only have displaced anger. Everyone hates Lionel. Lex just happened to be in the front line while his father was throwing insults."

"What was your affiliations with the Luthors before this, I wonder?"

"Well, Lex and I, we had been friends eversince we were kids."

"No way!"

"Yes way... We came from the same school. As a kid, he was a loner. He would not play with the other kids his age. As for me, I was feisty and bossy and all the kids my age wanted to be in my posse. But I saw them as immature. I didn't wat to play with them. That's why we ended up with each other."

"I was there in his trying times when his brother and his mother died. I was also there, unfortunately, when he lost his virginity to the class bitch when he was 13."

"He lost his virginity at thirteen?"

"You didn't know? Uh-oh. Don't tell him I told you. He'll want to kill me."

"Don't worry."

But even with the light talk, Clark was still shaken about the fact that she was in a life threatening situation... but it was not like his friends were exactly danger free all the time.

----------

"I love him Lois. I mean, I had loved him the first day I met him. But he was always like Lana Lana Lana. Imagine having to live life with him as his bestfriend..."

"Yeah, I can imagine. That's your classic fried friend dillemma. But honey, he mentioned this one itsy bitsy thing. You dumped him. He didn't dump you."

"It's because I am second rate compared to Lana."

"Did he actually say that? Or did you deduce that on your own?" Lois realized her Supremo was gone... done... nada... She tried turning it upside down, licking what's left then eyed Chloe's.

"Don't even think about it..." Chloe said quickly shifting to the second gear so she can leave it at that as she guards the coffe with one hand while steering on the other. "Well, it was just that he ran to save Lana at the other end of the town while we were at the spring formal. Everytime Lana was in trouble, he was always successful in saving her, even if they're a hundred miles apart. First time I was, I fell down Lex' mansion, he couldn't save me. And to think we were less than five feet apart."

"Well, he saved you, didn't he. First time I met him, he was somewhat disoriented in a singleminded-robotic manner, and naked, yes, but he was this person in power. Suddenly, when he realized that you were still alive, even though we weren't sure if you were in trouble, the moment he got your address, he didn't even wait for me. I was like, 'wait I'll get my things' and he was just gone."

"But past is past."

"But with Lana gone..."

"Hello, but didn't you see the way he looks at Lara? R replacing N, brunnette with expressive eyes... basically, to him, she's Lana."

"Are you kidding? Are you absolutely kidding?" Lois said disbelievingly.

"What?"

"Even if you pray and beg Lara to take Clark in, she would not. You know that right?"

Chloe couldn't help but give a laugh. Of course, the only people who ever set Lara's heart on fire were Lex, Raidon and Kirk. She shuddered at the thought: Lex in their family.

----------

The mess hall inside the State Penitentiary was full as usual, but there was always a room for Lionel Luthor. It had become a code among the inmates. If there was a godfather among them, it would be Lionel Luthor. His money and his ability earned him a place of respect among his fellow prisoners. He could not get out of jail himself merely because he was powerful and he never quite blended in. If he got out, people would start questioning, the media would start hounding. But there was still hope for the people who can bland with the masses. Imagine having Lionel at your side. He could arrange for a murderer to be freed, make it look like he was wrongly accused... for a price, a price, however high, they are willing to pay.

Lionel walked casually inside, carrying his food tray like he was walking among servants, not killers and thieves, people who can tear his throat without conscience.

Across the hall, he could choose to sit anywhere. But that particular day, he chose to sit on a specific seat.

Jackal looked up to see who it was that was blocking his light. He was one of the people who didn't look up to Lionel. There were plenty more like him inside the State Penitentiary but they just let him play God. They were the practical ones. Why mess whan they weren't being messed with.

"Dr. Jackal... I have heard a lot of good things about you."

Dr. Jackal, or Akabane, had no good things about him. He was a cold-blooded murderer. He never killed for personal reasons. He was only interested in the challenge. He would never guarantee the success of a mission. He reasons that he does thing merely out of enjoyment. He claims that he will stop the mission as soon as he loses interest. But the people who hire him have a hundred percent trust in him for his idea of fun is death, blood and destruction.

"I can arrange for your release, only if you do me a favor." Lionel waved his fork nonchalantly as if having an early morning talk with an absolute stranger.

"I can arrange a release for myself. Although I can use a little fun." he politely said with a cheerful smile and no real sentiments beneath.

"Glad to know that you are up for it, Dr. Jackal. I would give an initial 5 millions for the job and an additional 2 million for each person you take down."

"Money is not really needed, Mr. Luthor."

"I insist."

"I do not guarantee the success of this mission. I just hope that you are giving me a job that is highly exciting... or else... your neck will be under my knives." the cheerful smile was still not off his face.

"Oh I can assure you that it will be worth your time."

----------

Jackal was standing far from the state penitentiary before the guards realized that his maximum security prison cell was empty. There was no sign of busting out, no sounds, nothing to give him away. His hands, with his surgical knives, were skillful enough to open the locks cleanly as their original keys would. He closed them behind him just to keep every maniac at bay. He was not intent on sharing his fun. Jackal took the knife he used to bust out and embedded in on his palm. The skin of his palm seemed to have absorbed the metal into his body. "Smallville sounds like fun."

----------

The news of Jackal's escape never reached the front page of the Daily Planet or even of the measly Inquisitor. The only articles on it were on the 7th or 8th page, small 100 word articles that did not seem alarming at all.

Chloe, however, did not accept this at all. Every morning, she scans the newspaper from front to back looking for possible clues as to where a next story will spring up. It had already become her habit and it seems as if it will never be broken in her.

She had mellowed down a little but the school paper had another champion in line. Lois sat down side by side with Chloe as they tried to outline the next week's paper. Up front was the picture of Jackal and a full page story of his escape and his background. Both Lois and Chloe found it queer that he was not front page when they uncovered his past. He was a known assassin in Japan, stretching his reputation across Europe and, finally, to the US when he decided to take a job across the seas from his own country.

"He strikes, mostly in big cities, like Tokyo, Amsterdam, Manhattan and Gotham City." Lois pointed out from the map she took from the CIA files.

"Gotham, it's close." Clark mentioned.

"It's a small town. Why would a big baddie be interested in us?" Chloe insisted.

"Not like we harbor a lot of weirdness here."

"But Jackal's an international hitman. We only harbor homegrown psychopaths."

"I constantly wonder why the small town of Smallville doesn't run out of baddies. You have a small population, you know." Lara muttered.

"Yeah, next you think you know you got Aliems." Chloe laughed as Lois made her best impression of Lilo.

Clark cringed at the remark... Hello? Alien here...

"I want to have a Stitch of my own." Lara pouted.

Hello? Alien here... VOLUNTEERING!!!... Clark thought.

Chloe noticed how Clark's eyes would light up everytime Lara talks. It was like Lana all over again though it doesn't feel quite right for her to feel jealous. "Lara's my cousin."

The phone rang in the Torch office. Lara stood up and answered it before anyone else bothered to. Clark could here her hushed voice in the corner, even the voice of a man on the other line.

"Hello?" Lara said.

"Hello? Is Lara home?" Lara had diverted the phone calls from her house to the office.

"Speaking. Who is this?"

"Raidon."

Clark saw how Lara tensed up at the name.

"Who is it?" Chloe shouted.

"Raidon." Lara responded shakily.

"Ooooooh..." Lois and Chloe giggled girlishly.

"What is it?" Clark asked almost silently.

"She's dead scared of him." Lois tried to stiffle her laughter. Both Chloe and Lois knew how dead serious the 'situation' was but the can't help it if they found it still funny. They don't know if Lara was stuck at that stage before adolescent age when girls hate boys or if she was already at

"Why?"

"He's one of the bestfriends who decided to step up a notch. She's scared of having that notch get filled up."

"He's a suitor?"

"Close..." Chloe giggled.

"Is she a man hater or a lesbian?"

Chloe covered her lips with the classic good heavens no! remark. "She got the longest crush list I have ever seen. But when it comes to boyfriends, she'd rather curl up in a cyanide filled room and die. Only three guys made it close to boyfriend position... one of them tried to kill her... added trauma."

"Talk about boyfriend-phobia."

----------

"Rai, how are you?" Clark still listened in to their conversation while trying to pay attention to two giggling, caffeine-active teenage girls.

"I'm fine. Well, you got me worried there for a minute. You just disappeared after Kirk turned up in the news."

"Kirk, what?"

"He's dead. Haven't you heard?"

Lara couldn't say a word.

"Lara? Are you still there?"

"Yeah... I'm fine..."

"The discussion is obviously offending you. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Rai."

"So, how are you? I heard you were like thrown into some far flung barbaric planet."

"Not really. It's really a quaint town."

"How are you surviving the barless town so far?"

"I'm not that bar crazy, you know."

"I know... So you won't be coming back soon... will you?" Raidon's voice was almost down to a murmur now.

"It's still indefinite."

"I heard you're with Lex." Raidon's voice turned sharper and lower at this statement. Could it be that Lex is the other bestfriend?

"No, not really."

"Why Smallville, Lara?"

You just have no idea... Lara thought. "It's because of Chloe. You heard of her incident, right? Well, I just can't bear to lose sight of her."

"Alright." Raidon said trying to believe her.

"Rai, can you tell me exactly what happened?" Why wasn't it in the papers?

"Are you sure you are ready for this?"

"Yeah, Rai. I think I can handle this one."

"Okay... It turned out he got busted for drugs. Being your escort last party, he was all over the TV. Queer enough, the incident never reached the newpapers. There was a showdown between the police and his friends who tried to bust him out on the way to prison, according to the police. He got caught in the crossfire. I'm sorry."

Clark got up and pretended to get something from his drawer a few steps away from Lara. He tried to peer at her her face. He only saw her cheek and a silver teardrop that almost escaped him.

"Lara, are you alright?"

Lara quickly wiped her tears before she turned to face Clark. "Yeah, Clark I'm fine. Rai, I have to go now. I'll call you soon okay? Bye." she said not even waiting for an answer. Clark only watched helplessly as she moved out to the school halls.

----------

Lex saw Lara's car pull up on his driveway from his study's window. She seemed knd of weary as she walked through the halls of his study and collapsed on his couch.

"Lara... How nice of you to come visit."

"Lex, you have to tell me the truth." were her first words. She was staring into his fire, like she was too lost in her thoughts.

"I'd try."

"I just learned that Kirk died. Were you the one who took care of him?"

Lex lowered his glass of scotch unto his varnished wooden table without a coaster.

"Lex, please tell me the truth even if it was you."

Lex looked into Lara's eyes, lifeless orbs staring into a bright nothingness. He squatted in front of her so that they were at the same eye level.

"I am sorry." he rested his head on her lap as he did before after he had lost his mother. She was her constant conscience, the reminder when he forgets that he is human.

He felt her hands on his head. She always showed this sisterly affection to him. But he wanted it to be more than sisterly. But she had made it clear that it was all it can lead to. "I can't love the two of you that way." she had told Raidon and him when they started a fist fight for her, like two children in a playground. She had started crying telling them that she could not bear to be the reason for their first fight... Raidon had come later in their friendship but the three of them had been as close as siblings can get.

"It's alright."

"You have to understand. He tried to kill you. I didn't know what to do. I do not trust the authorities and i figured once he gets out, he'd come back for you. I am sorry." Lex had lost his authoritative, cool, calm and collected facade. He was sobbing in her arms like a child.

"It's alright," her soothing voice came forth and caressed Lex' heart, willing it to stop beating so fast.

In the darkness, a black trenchcoat billowed against the sharp edge of a blade.

----------

"How quaint." Jackal's voice was enough to chill Lex' blood after he was exposed to the soothing warmth of an angel.

"Who are you? How did you get past my security."

Lara knew immediately who it was. He was the man who walked out of prison unnoticed. "Dr. Jackal." she whispered.

"Right you are, Ms. Lane." he smiled courteously. "I have to admit it's pretty queer for an old man to put his son on the hit list. I thought I'd kill you first. I never thought, however, that I can hit two people with one blade.

Clark could hear Lara's scream from inside the Torch. He did not know how. His super hearing never functioned without his will before. His heartbeat went at an unbelievable rate. He hurried out of the school grounds towards her voice... towards, Lex' mansion.

"Where is he going?" Lois frowned.

Lara screamed as soon as Jackal moved. He seemed to be the kind of man without conscience, without anything to lose. Lex pulled her away from Jackal , covering her with his own body. Jackal was standing near the door covering their chance of a dash.

"So, my father sent you? I can offer a greater price." he said cautiously.

"I am not here for the money." he said throwing three warning blades beside Lex. "Oh please... I am losing interest in this... Please tell me you are going to fight." throwing a fourth blade into Lex' shoulder, sending him to the floor.

Lara pulled two pokers from the fireplace. "Feisty." Jackal licked his lips.

Lara was quite unsure of herself. She was skillfull with sticks and blades but pitted against a cold-blooded murderer can be unnerving. She stepped in front of Lex, meaning to protect him. "You will not hurt him." the commandeering tone of her voice surprised even her.

"I am not a fan of tears, Ms. Lane. I am merely a fan of blood. I think I shall kill you first and spare you the emotional pain of losing someone."

"Try me." she brandished the pokers at Jackal, keeping a keen eye on both Jackal's hands. She alost froze at what she saw, the blad did not come from under the sleeve. It was embedded on his pointer finger.

Keen eye... she reminded herself.

Her heart was pounding furiously in her head. It was not just her life on the line... but Lex' too.

I need to be strong. she thought. She saw his hand's first twitch as he prepared to throw one blade. But at the corner of her eye, his other hand moved. A bluff.

Kashi had three blades in the air within her sight, two of them towards Lex, one towards her. She did a triple flip in the air, dodging the one directed to her, reaching out one poker to hit the other two off course.

The blades embedded themselves into the poker. It was sharper than a surgical knife.

"Of course, I made them, didn't I?" he said almost as if reading her mind.

"You are currently fighting with me. Do not do a bluff again."

"You ARE interesting." Jackal whispered.

"Stay away from her." Lex managed to say.

"He is bleeding. You have to kill me as soon as you can... you know." Jackal smiled.

"And I will." Lara positioned herself across Jackal, clean shot to the window, holding two of Jackal's blades in her hands.

Clark came in just in time to see Lara deliver a deadly throw towards the Jackal.

He flew out of the window, with the force Lara delivered. Before he can even react, Lara was rushing to Lex' side.

"Clark! Call 911!" she kept screaming... Her hands were covered in blood... Lex' blood.

----------

The first thing he saw was the top of Lara's head and a bunch of supremo coffee cups on the table and in the trash bin.

"Hey." he heard her say. Her eyes were swollen with tears.

"You were amazing." he smiled.

"And you were bleeding." she said placing her hand on his head.

"What happened to the Jackal?" Lex inquired. Lara suddenly tensed up, sighing.

"There was blood on the ground, which meant I got him. But there was no body." she wrapped her hand protectively around his arm. A thing she got used to doing it everytime she was absolutely afraid.

Don't be scared... he thought. He was not quite sure hoe he was going to take care of her. The night before, he could not even stand up for her. Then, the thought of his father came into his thoughts. He would have to take care of him.

----------

Clark heard his footsteps before he even came into sight. The sharp tap of the Armani shoes were unique against the usual workboots that his parents wore around the farm.

"What are you doing here?" his tone were as sharp as the tap of the other man's shoes.

"Clark, I know you are still mad. But, I need to ask you a favor. Clark, it is for me as much as it is for her."

Clark stayed silent.

"Clark, you saw the man who attacked us last night. He seems invincible and he is still out there. I know I have not yet unraveled the real Clark but I can't pretend I don't know some of your capabilities. Clark, she lives next door from your house. Even if I hire the whole army, I know he'll still get past them. He walked out of prison unnoticed. Clark, you're the only one I can trust with this. I beg you."

"I will look out for her, Lex... Now, get out."

Lex turned around and walked away. The tension just rose one notch higher between them.

----------

Akabane looked at his list... one of them was encircled: Clark Kent. "I wonder what this kid holds?"

He tapped his pen over the names on his list one by one; Lex Luthor, Clark Kent, Chloe Sullivan, Lara Lane, and Lois Lane. His pointer went back to Lara's name. "But this one is definitely fun to play with." He encircled her name twice. A seemingly genuine smile crossed his face as she walked into her room. He watched from the shadows as she prepared to go to sleep "Not tonight, however."

A/N 2: I have brought up Jackal, I have no idea how to kill him or eliminate him or make him friendly. Elucidate me, Getbackers fans... To those who doesn't know Jackal. He's a coldblooded murderer who can smile bacause he has no super-ego, whatsoever... He is aso the type of person who can side with the good or the bad anytime because he only wants fun. Watch Getbackers...


	2. dirty

Here goes nothing... Um... kids... turn around and head on home... before I boot you outta here... scram!!! skeddadle!!!

Disclaimer: Got the small Chloe tape talk in Season four Episode one... Not mine...

2: Darker Side of Light

Clark watched Chloe and Lois play Jenga over railed windows. Eversince the attack, Lara had her house burglar-proofed, security cameras with the monitors in her room. The quaint small town fashioned fences were out replaced by medium high brick walls laced with electric wires on top. High enough to stop ayone from jumping over, but not high enough to keep Clark's watchful eyes away.

Chloe... Clark asked himself what happened with the two of them, time and time again. She just dumped him, told him they were better off as friends. He just accpeted it because he wanted Lana. All for what? Lana went to Paris only to come back with a boyfriend. And he could not have Lana, even if he wanted to. Being around him was too dangerous.

But Chloe and Lane girls, they were probably more dangerous than he is.

"Hey Clark. Good to see that you haven't lost your interest in, well... spotting things." Lana said walking up the loft as she used to do before she left.

"Lana... hey... I was just..." Clark tried to explain but Lana was already peering in the scope. "So, you're spying on Lois..." it was more of a factual statement than a question.

"Why is everybody trying to put me up with that girl?"

"What's wrong with her? She seems fine."

"She's really out there... Like, obnoxious and totally... strange..." he pouted like a child.

"Oh? Who's this?" Lara spotted another girl come in the room. Even without a scope, Clark could identify Lara.

"Their other cousin, Lara." he blushed hoping that Lana would not catch that single blush.

"My God! I never though I would see the day that Clark Kent blushes." too late. "I think that you are not spying on Lois but at Lara... I have to give it to you... she's pretty."

"Nah, she's... I don't know..."

"What?"

"I think Lex and she has... you know..."

"Oh..." Lana knew about the little disagreement between Lex and Clark though she did not know what it was about. "And that would stop you... how? Clark, if you want her... make your move. She'll turn you down when it is not possible. Otherwise, assume it's possible."

"Who said I wanted her?"

"It's just evident..."

-------------------------------

Lex tapped intently on his keyboards, leaving the ice to melt in his expensive scotch. He found a man called Makubex from, what they call, Infinity City, in a chatroom. He claimed that he knew the Jackal, and, as a matter of fact, dealt with him in the past. The Makubex guy led him to a safe zone in the web. Lex was an accomplished Hacker but he had never seen the stunts the Makubex guy was pulling in front of his eyes. He was overriding system after system just to get the position he wanted.

Alex: Why haven't I heard of this Infinity City before? It is not located in any maps.

Makubex: It is not.

Alex: Then where is it?

Makubex: It's a cyberspace created by Musim Technologies Inc. here in Japan. It is much like the matrix, a city with programmed people. It is the cradle of AI. In Infinity City, the programs live as humans do. First, they are programmed with basic instincts like withdrawing the hand at the sudden change of temperature. They are, then, exposed to an environment. They would then learn from that environment like what are the hot things and what are the cold things, what to touch and what not to touch. It was basically a success. Soon enough, the programs evolved, behaving like humans do.

Alex: If this is cyberspace, then how can the Jackal have originated from there?

Makubex: The Jackal was one of the bugged programs in the system. Like other programs, there were bugs in the system. Some of the programs have developed certain characteristics that were not applicable in the real world. They can override the program of the laws of physics or human behavior or the usual biological limitations of humans. An example, some programs have learned to use threads as knives, or generate electricity with their body, or cause hallucinations for a minute. Jackal was one of those people. He can generate blades within his body. Musim Technologies Inc., ten years ago, at the dawn of the idea of cloning, started an experiment on human genetics. Two years after, they had perfected the science and has started incorporating it with artificial intelligence. They created a clone for the Jackal, just the basic human body of a twenty year old man. They created a chip that was designed to send electric shocks in the brain according to the program that was already existing in Infinity City. Thus, the physical Jackal was born. He was merely an experiment until he escaped three years ago. They couldn't catch him so they closed down the embodiment project and left the Jackal on the lose. He was enough to pass off as another hitman or serial killer.

Alex: And you, you claim to be from Infinity City.

Makubex: I am. I am not embodied. I am merely a program who took the time to override the system. I am now conscious of the real world but only existing as a series of data.

Alex: I see... How do you verify this with me? Who you are, I mean.

Suddenly, his 3D interface program opened and, in the middle of the screen, sat a boy, around 16 years of age. His dark silver haired head was covered with a cloth. He was perfectly rendered, highly pixelated and highly detailed for a program.

Makubex (voice): Hello Alex... Pity you don't have a web cam.

He moved gracefully, unlike the usual graphics seen on the TV or in the movies. It would take a programmer days to create just one minute's worth of his movements... It was impossible for this graphic to be man made.

Alex: How did you do that?

Makubex (voice): Well, I am a highly designed program... I am like this thing crawling over computers. Do not worry about your personal files... I respect your privacy. Jackal was much like this, only he cannot override the system... Do you want me to send over his program? One is read over this same interface, so you can see his physique. Another, is a simulation of his behavior. I believe you are familiar with Java. Please wait while I document it...

His computer beeped and a window opened: "You have mail." Lex opened the mail and downloaded it into his disposable computer.

Alex: One other thing. It was reported that the woman threw knives at him... He still lived.

Makubex (voice): He will if it did not damage his main nervous system. He is a man high in iron and protein consumption. His genes were altered to make him have maximum use of his iron and protein reserves, it was needed for generating knives. Because of this, he regenerates quickly. The only way to disable him is to remove the connection between the brain and the body. Decapitation of removal of the chip will disable him.

Alex: Disable?

Makubex (voice): I prefer the term because, technically, he was never alive.

------------------------------

Lara was sitting on the stairs of her house resting her head on her knees. Clark had walked in without hesitation and found her in that state, rocking herself back and forth, like a pendulum waiting for no end.

Clark knelt down in front of her, trying to peer at her face, hidden by her arms.

"Lara... Are you alright?"

"No..." she whimpered.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I'm just scared."

She opened herself from the ball that she created of herself only to close in on Clark, like a child clinging on for dear life. Clark wrapped his hands around her. Her body was almost naked with the silk nightgown she was wearing. He could feel her body around him. He was kneeling between her legs, his stomach feeling her warmth.

"Don't let me go, Clark. Don't let them take me."

"I won't." he assured her. She pulled herself away from him and kissed him with her subtle lips. Clark did not even bother to be surprised. He pulled her closer by the waist, pushing himself against her. Her legs tightened across his waist, wrapping herself around him.

She fumbled with the button of his pants, running her hands on his smooth thigh skin. Clark felt himself harden, this unexplicable thirst in his lower region at the touch of her hand. Suddenly, the farmboy in him was gone... the innocence... only the thirst... and the manly want of a woman.

He rubbed himself against her panties, feeling her through. He removed his shirt in one sweep. His pants had already fallen off to his knees. Lara was half naked herself. The straps of her gown had fallen off her shoulders, revealing her luscious breasts to him, rubbing against his own. Their innocent kiss had slowly turned into a ravishing one, tongues clashing in their liplock.

Lara leaned back against the stairs giving space for Clark to remove the rest of his clothing. Clark followed Lara, his lips reaching only her chest. He paid attention to her swelling nipples, shoving one into his mouth. Lara's back arched at the attention. She placed her hands on the nape of his neck and pulled him closer. Clark ran his hand on her tummy inching it's way through her underwear. He felt the carpet of hair then the appetizingly wet zone. He envisioned it in his mind while he felt for it. Sure he has seen plenty of those in SexEd but it's never really the same as the real thing... She tensed as he placed a little pressure on her, the skin around her vagina was bathed in her juices and Clark was inching to be part of that... He wanted her... His manhood was throbbing, begging for her.

He positioned himself over her, reminding himself of his own strength. He gently pulled her closer to him, her legs either side of him. He felt her tightness as he entered her, her whole body reacting. He heard her say his name... "Clark, be gentle."

He inched his way into her, careful not to hurt her... too careful. Lara flipped them, straddling him, running her hands across his chest. Clark held her waist, feeling her lift herself up and down, sliding up and down his manhood. He felt the juices on him... He wasn't entirely sure whose was it... his or hers... or both.

Clark felt that he can go on forever, inside her, throbbing with her. He can go on forever listening to her scream his name. The sound of his name was never so enticing to hear before... He did not realize that he was screaming her name too. Clark felt the pace quicken. The sounds they were making were intoxicating as her labored breathing and the sound of his name being called out. He felt her contracting all around him sucking the sould right out of his body. He thought he was Superman... He thought he could hold on forever until they burst together without arranging it... Thay just came at the right time, together strengthening his belief that they were soul mates.

Clark collapsed beside her on the floor. He gathered her into his arms, a small sophisticated lady in the arms of a man.

-------------------------

Clark banged his head on the wall as he tried to dress up for the morning. He woke up with a hard on at the dream that he had. It was at that moment did he understand the feeling of on person in heaven suddenly being pulled down the depths of hell...

He tried to concentrate on fishing out his wardrobe for the day... starting with the underwear.

Lara and Lois walked in on him, buck naked. It seemed as if his reaction time was slow that morning. All of them stood there for some moments, the two girls had their eyes on Clark's thing. Lara turned around and walked out of the door. "I'll leave you kids alone for a minute. Play nice." She locked the door behind her. It took her a while to realize the opportunity she had. She quickly turned around and pulled on the door just as she felt Lois pull on the other side.

Lois slowly turned around and tried to pull the door but it won't budge. "It won't budge... Lara! Let me out!"

"No!" came the voice from the other side.

Lois moved to the corner, facing it like a punished child... "Feel free."

Not the girl he had in mind... Clark warily watched Lois as he tried to fish out any pair of boxers in his closet, quickly pulling it up his legs... He quickly dressed up in his usual flannel shirt.

"Smallville, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"I watched Chloe's goodbye tape. It was actually for you but it found its way to me. Do you know what's in this?" she said holding out the tape over her head.

"No." he said taking the tape from her hands.

"Clark, when she was in trouble, she did not come running for help to me or Lara. She came came running to you. Before I met you, I felt like I already knew a lot about you. You were all she can ever talk about. I also knew about the break up and I think... I just think... that she did not want it. And now, she thinks you are having this little infatuation with Lara. I always tell her that Lara won't have you. She simply won't have anybody but I think it's still driving Chloe nuts. I am the eldest and I always look out for them. I don't want the three of us to break ever... I will simply die. Chloe doesn't know I talked to you about this. And Lara doesn't know that Chloe still loves you. I cut that part of the copy I made for her. I just hope, you would do the right thing. That's the uncut version, by the way."

"What is the right thing?"

"It is up to you and the way you handle it."

Clark felt the force exerted by Lara as he opened the door. He pretended that it was hard to open but eventually pulled hard, pulling Lara with it. "Had fun?" Lara asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Funny... I thought you were on my side?" Lois forced a funny face and pinched Lara making her jump.

"Hey I'm not on anyone's side but mine..."

----------------------

Chloe thought that the town had gone darker since she 'died'. She did not know exactly what had happened to Clark and Lex. Lex had already told her that they had a falling out but she never thought that it was that bad. It seemed as if everytime they were twenty feet within each other's perimeter, the sky would go dark, threatening rain.

Even the pink and perky Lana wasn't so pink and perky anymore. Since she resurfaced, she was all dark and nasty, as if Paris had blown some liberal tunes into her. She came home with a tatoo on her back, not the Lana she used to know. Chloe's former room mate did not wear so much mascara. Her basic make up was composed of pastel colors, enhancing that sweet and gentle look that Clark had once loved. Now, she was all dark eyed, rouged and seductive, like the time she was under the influence of the Nicodemus.

Even Chloe had changed. Lois kept telling her she wasn't that bright eyed anymore. How can she bebright eyed when her eyes had seen things that no teenager should ever see? How many teenagers have billionaires after their tushies, aside from the three of them, that is. Besides, she was the only one among the three who actually struck a deal with the older Luthor. It occured to her time and time again that she was the one who brought them all into this.

She kneeled over in the shower holding herself. Why was she always in the middle of something? She was in the middle of Clark and Lana. Now, she was in the middle of Clark and Lara. She did not dare go against Lana... How could she dare go against her cousin? Lara was in this situation because of her and she was not complaining. She had given Chloe so much, how selfish would Chloe be if she retaliates against this budding connection between Clark and Lara?

She rocked herself back and forth, finding comfort in the sensation. All she wanted was Clark. Was that too much too ask?

----------------------

Clark opened the TV as he shoved in the tape into the VCR. His parents bought a DVD sending the old VCR to his room. He was thankful that he did not have to watch the tape in the living room. He had the feeling that with the contents of the tape, he needed absolute privacy.

"I don't even know where to start. I know you must have a million questions but I don't know how many answers I can give you. If you're watching this, it means I'm probably... dead. You're always the one good thing in my life and if I didn't tell you enough, I care about you more than you'll ever know. Please find out who did this, Clark. You are the only one who can."

Clark pressed pause then rested his head on the bed, his room was in absolute, deafening silence. Chloe thought that he was infatuating over Lara, which was, ore or less, true. Lara wanted Clark to go after Lois. Lois, from her tone, was pointing him to Chloe. He had chose to ignore Chloe because he had the reason to. She dumped him and he can play ignorant all he want. He could excuse himself by saying that he thought she did not want him.

Now, Lois knew that he knew that Chloe still loves him. He won't have the excuse. But Lara...

Clark heard a scream like he did before when Lara and Lex was attacked by the Jackal. Only this time... "Chloe!"

-------------------

"Abachukinihaw... Ijichukibaba..." Lois bumped to the new song she picked up from Lilo and Stitch as she brought in the groceries from her car. She was trying to kick the door close when sh heard Chloe scream in the showers. She dropped the groceries to the floor, a bottle of ketcup broke on the floor as she ran upstairs. She saw the Jackal carrying Chloe, out of the window.

"Oh good. I do not have to waste paper and ink on the message. I think you know what this means, don't you Miss Lane? I want Clark Kent and Lara Lane at the old house by the Miller's woods tonight at 9... That is, if you want to see Miss Sullivan alive." his smile and tone was that of complete politeness despite his threats.

"You bluff. You'll kill Chloe anyway."

"I keep my word to ladies," he said tipping his hat. "I have lost interest in Luthor's offer. I only am interested by the abilities of these two young people that I ask. However, if they do not comply, one dead person would equal to two million dollars. Two million dollars won't be detrimental to me, would it? If they turn up, I would simply... let her go... Oh and by the way, tell them not to bother looking for me there... That is not my personal residence of the moment." with that, he disappeared as he jumped clear off the window taking Chloe with him. He sped off in a black car, probably stolen.

Lois ran off to the phone and began dialling Lex' number. "Lex! The Jackal took Chloe!!!"

---------------------------

Clark arrived seconds after Lois had put down the phone after calling Lex and Lara. Lois was not in the right mind to ask him what he was doing there, and if he knew what happened, how... Clark was thankful. They saw Lara's car slid across the front parked carelessly. She even forgot to close the door as she ran into the house. Lex arrived in the same manner. Clark's features darkened as Lex walked in. Lara started pacing the room while Clark and Lex positioned themselves as far away from each other as possible. Lois' hands were shaking as she lit a cigarette. Though she swore she won't smoke anymore, it was just the time it was called for.

"He said before he left that he wanted Lara and Clark at the old house in the Miller's woods tonight. He said that he wasn't gonna kill her because he already lost interest in Lionel's offer unless Clark and Lara decided not to come over. But why would he want Lara and Clark?"

"Wait here." Lex signalled them as he ran to his car. He came back with a laptop in tow. "I got this just this morning. I met this... well... software, an AI who claims to be from Infinity City where the Jackal originated. At first, I thought that this city was here in the physical world until I realized that it wasn't located in any maps... it doesn't even exist in the underground. then I realized that it was a city full of artificially intelligent programs designed like humans... thanks to this software AI called Makubex."

"Makubex, of course!" Lara said.

"Do you know him?" Lex asked Lara.

"Yeah but I did not know what the cyberplane was called. What is this?" Lara pointed out to the 1078Behavior.jav file."

"It's supposed to be the program for the Jackal's behavior. It's in the Java interface, so you can probably understand it."

"Open it." Lara demanded.

Clark and Lois were lost in the discussion... Cyberspaces and Artificial Intelligence? It sounded like a future fiction starring Jude Law and Haley Joel Osment.

They waited as Lara attacked the keyboards, intently studying the program. "There you are... Clark, fetch me that telephone line."

Lara connected the telephone wire to the laptop and logged on to the net via dial up.

"What are you doing" Lois asked.

"Contacting Makubex."

"He's in this chatroom..." Lex offered fumbling for the piece of paper in his wallet.

"I know about that but it takes a long time to load in a dial up connection. I know a better way." Lara started typing an address that looked triple X. "Cover your eyes, kiddies. This is X-rated, definitely not for children."

Flash movies of people having sex started loading at unusual speed. She clicked on a webring link that sent her to a pseudo military hacking exercise that was played by kids all over the world. Only that there is a tip when it came to the eight level. It seemed that it was impossible to hack, that was why threre was a tip o how to skip that certain level. However, that level was the gateway to Makubex' lair. She quickly typed in the passwords that she had known by heart since she had been in touch with the Makubex for a long time.

"Get me a microphone." Lara said to Clark as she was nearing the eight level. There was no source for that level, therefore no source or the password. But she knew that password. She got it out of Makubex while they were talking that first encounter of theirs in the same chatroom Lex had logged onto. She typed in VOLTS then pressed enter, just as Clark came in with the microphone. The screen suddenly went blank then Makubex' face came into view.

"Alex? Is that you? You have the same hardware ID but you came a different way." a voice came from the speaker as a boy came into view sitting in front of a laptop of his own.

"No, Makubex. It's Kashi." Lara said over the microphone.

"You know Alex?" he sounded excited.

"Yes... Mak, I need your help."

"Let me guess... Jackal."

"Yes, I have seen the physical diagrams but I need the blueprint for the chip."

"Wait..." he said as he uploaded the design of the chip on the screen.

"Can you take it apart? See if there is a wireless interface in there."

"There is but it is firewalled."

"Does the mechanism inside him have a USB?"

"Yes, it was used to load his program into the chip."

"Alright..." Lara muttered to herself.

"But you have to be in close proximity to the subject. It is extremely dangerous. Why not just decapitate?"

"I was reading the program. He is able to generate at high speed. A knife that passes through his body actually wounds him but as soon as it permeates the skin, the skin closes up. The only way to decapitate that man is to use a large blade, like the guillotine so there would be no room for his neck to heal. And the mechanism here is titanium laced with diamond coating... impossible to break."

"Why didn't I think of that. It just occured to my system that is it impractical to bring such weapons in combat."

"I was thinking, what if we upload a virus that ruins the program? I was studying it and each method concerning basic actions like moving, eating, bathing... they all have the same method included: to live. I was reading the willToLive method and it had a primary purpose, that is to take on a challenge. A variable potentialDanger is directly proportional to the willToLive variable. The higher the danger the stimulus imposes on the Jackal, the more he becomes interested in the stimulus. The potentialDanger variable is equated to an input that is dependent on the length of the first fight with a new subject, the strength of the blows and the heartbeat and adrenaline rush of the Jackal's body. Only if I can change this line: potentialDangerarExponential(fightL, magnitude, bodystat); to potentialDanger 0;, then he would not have any reason to live. He would become just a paralyzed body."

"Splendid, however, how are you actually going to find him?" he asked. Clark forgot that the person they were talking to did not know that Alex and Kashi are Lex and Lara.

"We would have our way... Thank you so much, Makubex."

"No problem..." he said waving goodbye. The screen went blank, then came up again displaying the Happy Tree Friends site.

Lara opened the notepad and began typing. "Can I have your flash drive?" she asked Lex. She was finished in a matter of minutes. She opened the 3D image of the Jackal, trying to find, exactly where the USB is.

Lois pointed over at the screen. "The slot is facing outwards, right below his hairline. But the slot is not protruding. There's just a mark on his skin. He would have to be wounded."

"I think I can handle that." Lara said.

"What do you mean you can handle that?" Lex and Clark said in unison.

"You are not going to go near that maniac..." it was more of a demand than a suggestion.

"Lex, he's going to kill Chloe if we don't show up."

"There must be another way..." Lex paced the floor.

"There isn't any other way. Lex, I posed a threat to him. He's designed to go after me. What I don't understand is why does he want Clark too?" Lara looked at Clark for an answer.

Lionel must have tipped off the Jackal about his 'powers'. Lex knew of his father's research on Clark. It was with Lionel did Lex start suspecting Clark's uniqueness.

"I don't know..." Clark shrugged but he knew it. "I'll tell you what... I'll handle the flash drive."

"No, Clark. I don't think you should."

"I think he should." Lex knew Clark's capabilities. Even though Lara had exceptional ones, he knew that the person who can handle it better would be Clark.

"Are you serious? I don't mean to step in major machismo here but I'm not going to risk anyone of you."

"You are not going to risk me."

"I'll make two copies just to be sure. Lois, may I borrow yours?" Lara continued to work on the program.

"Clark, don't let her near that man... please." Lex squeezed Clark's shoulder. If they were going to save Chloe, they would have to work together.

"I'll come too... just in case you need back up." Lois said diving under the sink. "I'll kill that bastard when I get my hands on him."

------------------------------------------

Lois spent the whole afternoon making home-made arsenal. Clark had never seen anyone actually assemble grenades with aerosol cans and gas bottles. He only saw it done on movies. Even Lex seemed to have knowledge in it. But Lara insisted that they did not come. Clark backed them up. He has enough trouble thinking how to knock Lara out to take on the Jackal unseen... The last thing he needed were two other potential witnesses.

Lex had protested. Lara feigned conceding, kissed him on the cheek then banged him on the head unconscious. She made Clark tie Lois and Lex up, while she covered their lips with duct tape. "I really really am sorry. I just know the two of you too well."

She wrote a note on a post it and stuck it on Lex' head. "Don't let these people go until we come back, Lara. PS. Sorry honey... I'll make it up to you."

He stood outside the house in Millers woods, where Kyle, the meteor freak who can bend people's wills, lived. He had moved on leaving the makeshift house sitting out in the woods like a suitable scene for a horror movie.

"Blade to blade." Lara muttered to herself.

"Lara, please..." he said holding her hand. Lara had blades up her sleeve. I worked like a magazine of a gun only it had stacks of thin sharp shards of metals that were almost surgical. She had it for some time now. Clark did not find it in her physique and personality the ability to use such weapons. His impression of her was the potentially verbally equipped and physically helpless. He thought that the farthest she could go was hand to hand combat, much like Lois. As much as he was impressd with Lois' home-made arsenal, he was far more impressed, if not shocked, at the fully functional collection of blades and guns. He had seen Lex fence, seen his weapons. He saw 17th century swords and armours in the castle. But none was comparable to Lara's collection. She had new samurais and shurikens. She did not have barbaric swords. She said that they were heavy and impractical. She had lightweight ones, traditional and custom made. She even have a thin single sided sword, much like the samurai, only it was as thin as a fencing sword. She also had guns in her collection, antique ones, new ones, automatics, handhelds and rifles. "I prefer these." she said holding the blade magazine, strapping it to her arms.

Each stack of blade contained fifty shards. Loaded up her arms were about ten stacks each. It can be loaded single-handedly. She carried about 5 stacks in each pocket and fifty more in her belt.

She was clear that she was not going to take prisoners. Clark could hear her heart beating fast, skipping a beat at every sound the woods create.

He did not realize the Jackal creep up behind him. Akabane seemed to fly like a crow across Clark dropping a necklace on his shoulders. It had a pendant made of a large green meteor rock, draining Clark's energy. Clark watched helplessly as Lara stood against Akabane, alone. He tried removing the necklace but his head was swimming and he couldn't seem to find where his neck was.

"Is that allergic reaction? How did Lionel knew about Clark's little allergy?" Akabane asked thoughtfully watching Clark scratch at the stone, trying to get if off.

"Clark stand up!" she said, never taking her eyes off Akabane.

"I can't possibly take on two. Let him rest for a minute..."

"Why does he pose as a threat?"

"I don't know, all I know is that Lionel told me he is the biggest threat of all. Although I believe otherwise. Please prove me wrong, Miss Lane."

Lara could not imagine how to approach the Jackal... how to get behind him, cut a chunk of flesh and shove her drive up his neck.

"Clark stand up!" she said stepping backwards towards Clark.

Akabane used Kyle's trailer as leverage, pushing himself to 'fly' above Lana. He started doing the triple flip that Lara delivered the first time they met. Instict took over. She jumped high intercepting Akabane in the air. She had a clean shot of the nape. She took one shard from the magazine. She had cut the flesh behind his neck. Just as she was about to shove in the Flash drive when she caught a glimpse of his hand, three blades between his knuckles... a regular sucker punch. She pushed him away from her but ot fast enough to stop his blades from grazing her skin.

"So, that was your plan." he rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think you can ever disappoint me." Akbane licked his lips tasting her defeat.

"Give it up. Where is she?"

Akabane signaled to the darkness. Lara could see Chloe in the shadows tied to a tree.

Clark found the chain around his neck and succeeded in pulling it. Call it Kryptonian Adrenaline. He threw the stone as far from him as his weakened state allowed him to. In a matter of seconds, he felt himself regenerate, the power seeping inside his bones.

Although Lara was facing him, her eyes were locked on the Jackal. She did ot see Clark stand up and zoom behind her. Clark gave Lara a small tap behind her neck, making her black out. Guess that would be Lex' revenge... he thought. He zoomed back to the Jackal grabbing the nape of his neck, feeling the mechanism, cold as stone as with the experiment's heart. He crushed the small titanium mechanism encased in diamond with his bare hands. It had occured to him the problem of how he was going to explain it but he did not mind it for the mean time.

Jackal's cloned body was sprawled on the floor, the mechanism jutting out of his neck. Even without the brain, the cells functioned for a little more time, closing on the hardware, making Akabane's neck look horribly broken.

Clark placed a piece of trunk beside Lara, hoping that it would pass as the one who knocked her out.

He ran towards Chloe in the Dark, her eyes, mouth, legs and arms bound, making it impossible for her to move or be noticed in the darkness. They ran back to Lara, who was knocked out unconscious. Chloe ran ahead of Clark, Jackal's complementary coat trailing behind her.

"Honey, are you alright?" Chloe said pulling Lara up. "Next time someone gets kidnapped... It will be you or Lois... I would have to repay you sooner of later."

"What happened?" lara said holding her head, making sure it wouldn't fall off.

"Rotten branch fell on you." Clark shrugged.

"What happened to you? And the Jackal?" Lara said eyeing Jackal's 'broken neck'.

"I don't know... I kinda was dreaming for a minute... next thing I knew Jackal's on the ground..." he shrugged again. Clark walked ahead with Chloe, placing his flannel shirt over her being naked inside the complementary coat. Lara lagged behind suspiciously looking at Clark. No one was there, except him... And the Jackal... why didn't he heal?

When Clark and Chloe were out of sight, Lara approached the body pulling one knife from her knife magazine. She opened the Jackal's neck. By that time, the body was completely dead. The skin did not close over her blade, revealing the diamond coated titanium chip case, crushed.

She pulled it out, blood already seeping into the object. She ripped out a piece of her shirt, wrapping the blood bathed casing, diamond still clinging on it although some had already mixed with the Jackal's cadaver, like simple shards of glass.

"Lara?" she heard her Chloe call from a distance.

"I'm coming!" she ran over to her cousin's voice just as soon as she pocketed the object.

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Lex and Lara examined the casing. Lex had already had three encounters with the 'magnum force' including this particular thing.

"Come here..." Lex pulled out one of his computers showing Lara two simulations. One was the time when he thought he had hit Clark with his Porsche and went over the railing. "He said that I missed him... that he just went in the water after I crashed into it. Two things: I am pretty sure that I did hit him and... they said that the car roof was pulled up by a MAGNUM force." he said finally showing her snapshots of the totaled vehicle.

He opened another simulation, the breaking into his private jet thousands of feet up in the air. "I still don't know what cost that... It is basically impossible to have that force up in the air especially with no leverage. The only leverage possible is my jet but there are no markings aside from the ruined door."

"Now this. It's fairly small but look at those four dents... like the fingers of one's hands..." Lex fitted his palm on the object showing Lara that it fits the human hand perfectly...

"And you think Clark..."

"It is impossible but unexplicably probable. I cannot tell you how many time he would arrive just in time to save everybody, including me... It's like he knows, first hand... If he has an inhuman strength, how improbable would it be for him to actually FLY?"

"It sound like the rantings of a lunatic... only it doesn't sound crazy since I saw this thing..." she said pointing to the crushed case.

"Good to know, I'm not the only raving lunatic in town..." Lex smirked.

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A/N: I do not know where that Love polygon came from... I swear... I think I have unconscious issues. I have to have my extra cute former psychology professor diagnose me... Please review... please please please... tell me if you like the story, hate the story... if I should seduce my former professor or not... or just to tell me that I am insane, or if you can tell me what's wrong with me... feel free...

A/N part II: This love polygon, I think, is needed because 1.) Clark had a past with Chloe, 2.) Clark has a future with Lois, 3.) There must be a reason for the Superman/Lex fight that goes deeper than the Kryptonian secret... you know... emotions? I mean, Lex doesn't seem to be, like, the type of guy who would play on Clark's difference. So, I'm bringing in the source of all major grudges. Any ideas on how to resolve this when time comes? Like what to do with CHLOE...


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